Tactical Language Training System: An Interim Report

Tactical Language Training System helps learners acquire basic communicative skills in foreign languages and cultures. Learners practice their communication skills in a simulated village, where they must develop rapport with the local people, who in turn will help them accomplish missions such as post-war reconstruction. Each learner is accompanied by a virtual aide who can provide assistance and guidance if needed, tailored to each learner’s individual skills. The aide can also act as a virtual tutor as part of an intelligent tutoring system, giving the learners feedback on their performance. Learners communicate via a multimodal interface, which permits them to speak and choose gestures on behalf of their character in the simulation. The system employs video game technologies and design techniques, in order to motivate and engage learners. A version for Levantine Arabic has been developed, and versions for other languages are in the process of being developed.

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